Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1887-01-28
The Spring Canker Worm.

The increase and spread Of this ap-
ple-tree pest throug hout our state
should arouse our orchardists to the
Importance of employing active mes
ures against it upon its first discovery,
If operations are commenced in time.
it can be exterminated with compare
lively little labor. The iusect-one OF
the moth family-is not distributed
by flight, as are nearly all our insect
pests, as the female moth is destitute
of wings. For a year or two, or for
lop ger time, its attack may be confined
to single tree in an orchard. When
ever it appears in new locality, its
introduction is probably through hu,
man agency.
1t may be we'll to state that at the
time when the frost is leaving the
ground, which is now near at hand,
myriads of the pupa of the insect may
be destroyed by breaking up the
ground beneath the trees to the depth
Of six inches. Swine have often been
found of service in this work, and for
feeding at the same time on other ap-
pie insects.
Almost entire protection has been
obtained by the use of bands about the
trunks of apple trees, of tar and mo-
lasses, of printers ink, of special mix
lures sold for the purpose by dealers
in agricultural supplies, of tin pre-
pared after instructions given, of tin
troughs containing kerosene oil, etc.
All of these are used for the purpose
of preventing the wingless moth, after
Matching from her pupal case in the
ground beneath the tree, climbing up
the trunk and depositing her eggs up
on the limbs.
Probably less laborious and ex-
pensive method is to poison the cater
pillars very soon after they have COM
menced to feed, and before they have
had time to injure to any serious ex-
tent the foliage. The poison may be
either arsenic, dissolved in boiling wa
ter, to the strength of one pound to
200 gallons of water, Paris green or
London purple. The last will be
found the easiest in preparation and
in use. To be told just hoaC to do it
will perhaps lead many into doing it.
A correspondent has given the method
as follows:
81 placel three empty coal-oil bar
sells (having a capacity of about fifty
gallons each) in wagon and filled
them with water. | then took a
pound of London purple for each bar
rel, first mixing it we'll IN pail of
water, and pouring it into the barrel.
Tie wagon was driven along the
there was much wind, and with a
fountain pump, with fine hose, the
liquid was thrown over the trees.
The water in the barrels must be con-
stantly stirred during the operation to
prevent the poison from settling
Great care should be taken not to
breathe any of it, nor to allow the
wind to carry the liquid toward men
or horses. With two teams and four
men, three or four hundred trees could
be sprayed in day. The entire cost,
including pumps, barrels, poison and
labor, was about three cents tree for
twice spraying. In rainy weather the
application should be repeated two or
three times"
The above proportion of the purple
to the water should not be needed for
killing the young and tender Larvae,
and might possibly brown the newly
opening leaves. OF course, no greater
strength should be used than neces-
sary. As the eggs hatch unequally, a
second spraying after the lapse of a
week, may be important, even in the
absence of rain.-Country Gentleman.